Holiday Wish List - REVISED!

So a few weeks back I posted my holiday wishlist. I wish I could say that it stayed stagnate but it has certainly evolved! I have managed to pick up most of this list, and a few items came off the last list. But all in all, I want all 96 of these holiday polishes and I think ALL of them are limited edition (with the possible exception of the Cult Nails set).



Ok, so that being said, of that insane shopping list, this is all I have left to pick up from the list!!

 

What polishes are you needing or loving this holiday season?

Estee Lauder Swarovski Elements Evening Bag Collection

So this is my big debate. While talking to the wonderful sales associate Myle (I know!! A sales associate that isn't Melanie!!) at the Estee Lauder counter in the Vancouver Holt Renfrew she mentioned to me that there is a new Swarovski clutch that is exclusive to Holt Renfrew. She was really nice about it (we don't have an Estee Lauder counter at our store) and she took a photo of it and sent it to me by text.



It is a taupe coloured clutch completely bedazzled in Swarovski crystals and comes with a crystal mirror and a pretty pink lipstick. The price tag ($75) is very reasonable for the set considering the lipstick on its own retails for $32. I have a purple leather clutch, a teal suede clutch, and two Matt & Nat clutches in purple and red. I do need a neutral and a black clutch. So the question is do I need THIS one? Sigh................

I will let you know if I end up getting it! Until then I would really appreciate your opinions on it!!

Dolce & Gabbana Animalier Signature Holiday 2012 Collection

I am very happy to say that for me personally, this collection does nothing for me. That is very good since they are not available here. I have given up completely finding lilac and would not be happy to add more impossible to find lemmings to my list!! But for those of you who love the neutrals (I do love the shadow quad but simply dont need any more neutral eyeshadow palettes!) this might be the collection for you!

Eye Colour Quad

• #123 Desert – mink, bronze, coffee and beige

Animalier Bronzer

• Bronzing powder

Classic Cream Lipstick

• #105 Caramel 
• #109 Desert 
• #210 Iconnic

Intense Nail Lacquer

• #104 Honey 
• #208 Caramel 
• #203 Chocolate (Repromote)

Intense Liquid Eyeliner

• #06 Baroque Gold 
• #07 Baroque Silver 
• #08 Baroque Bronze

The Holts Beauty Bag

Every year Holt Renfrew puts out a makeup bag for the holiday season. I am currently torn. I like the bag, but the shape is almost identical to last years (though a tad bit smaller). It is also $35 dollars this year instead of last years $25. It does still come with a coupon for $10 off your next purchase making it only $25 dollars but again last year it worked out to only be $15.

Decisions, decisions........

Orly Naught Or Nice For Holiday 2012 Swatches

As I mentioned in my last post, I really wasn't feeling any of the Orly Naughty Or Nice collection. I did however FINALLY think to SWATCH the colours even though I was not getting any. Sadly I did not have any swatch wheels on me, but scotch tape was available. So here is the collection. 

From Left to Right - Devil May Care, Unlawful, Torrid, Miss Conduct, Angel Eyes and Halo

Devil May Care, Unlawful and Torrid

Miss Conduct, Angel Eyes and Halo

Holiday Offerings From LUSH Cosmetics (& Why I Think You Should Avoid The Holiday Gift Sets)

So its that time of year again! LUSH Cosmetics is one thing if not predictable. Every year they come out with a TON of Christmas gift sets, new releases and old favourites (Snow Fairy Anyone?). There are some new products that look really interesting to me and I cant wait to try!

Party Popper (5.95) Our bright pink and blue bathing scent-sation is bound to be a hit this season. It fizzes around the tub, snapping due to the popping candy and releasing a 'dry champagne' perfume of bergamot, tangerine and rose oil. Then, out pops our special 'confetti' that is made of dehydrated honeydew melon soap flakes. Melt those into your skin to wash yourself and smell simply divine!

CrackerSnap (9.95) This Bath Bomb is like a big present to yourself, and it's chock-full of surprises. Pull it apart, or toss it in the tub and inhale the zesty lemongrass, bergamot and rosewood fragrance, then listen as the popping candy crackles and snaps in the water. You'll soon find out that it is stuffed with treats; a party hat to wear in the tub, a joke to tell yourself and a crocodile reusable bubble bar (the snap!).

There are also many other holiday classics that I hope to stock up on during the Boxing Day sale. I know, I know, they say every year that they are cancelling the buy one get one free holiday products sale but I assume they will. And if they do, I hope to stock up on enough bubble bars and shower gels to get me through until NEXT year! But that being said, these two I am not going to wait on! I must get them!!!

The one issue I have is with the gift boxes. The concept sounds fantastic. Because what happens you end up trying things you wouldn't necessarily try if they were not in the box. And I love that! BUT........ Not only is there no financial pay off or deal in getting the pre-made gift sets, they actually cost MORE money than buying each item on their own. I am NOT ok with that. Gift sets should hold value as far as I am concerned. And LUSH gift sets not only have no VALUE to them, but they actually cost you much more money. But I do have friends who feel that having a gift pre packaged, picked out and wrapped is well worth the extra $$$ so I guess it boils down to what you are personally comfortable with. But please please keep in mind they are more money!

Secret Santa ($9.95) The go-to gift for all those tricky Secret Santa presents, this one suits everyone – so it doesn’t matter whose name you pull out of the hat! Containing two of LUSH’s classic festive treats, a Lil’ LUSH Pud bath bomb and a star shaped Snowcake soap, both of which smell like the marzipan icing on the Christmas cake! Contents: Lil’ LUSH Pud bath bomb and Snowcake soap

Have A Sweet Christmas ($10.95) Everyone likes to treat themselves at Christmas and why shouldn’t they? Curb those Christmas candy cravings with a duo of delicious bath time goodies from LUSH. The new Candy Mountain bubble bar will create masses of sweet scented skin softening bubbles while a chunk of the jelly baby scented Angels’ Delight soap will satisfy your sweet tooth. Mmm, delicious! Contents: Angels Delight soap and Candy Mountain bubble bar

BRRRRILLIANT ($12.95) Wake yourself up on cold winter mornings with these two uplifting and invigorating shower products. The lemon and grapefruit oils in Snow Globe soap will enliven the senses while the sugar in Australian Igloo will leave you with smooth and glowing skin. Contents: Snow Globe soap and Australian Igloo sugar scrub

Merry and Bright ($12.95) Christmas Eve bubble bar and Cinders bath bomb make the perfect pre-bedtime bath combination. After soak with these little wonders and a good night’s sleep, you’ll be merry and bright for all the holiday festivities. Contents: Christmas Eve bubble bar and Cinders bath bomb

Cosy Christmas ($12.95) Protect your paws this winter with a pair of products scented with almonds and vanilla, some of the most comforting and reassuring essential oils. Tiny Hands is a solid hand serum to smooth and soften hard skin in preparation for some serious snuggling while Snowcake soap is a slice of pure Christmas, fragranced like the marzipan icing on the Christmas cake, it leaves skin soft and deliciously scented. Contents: Snowcake soap and Tiny Hands hand serum

Rocket To Me ($19.95) Shoot for the stars with this stellar trio of innovative bath fizzers. There’s the new Rocketeer, that’s shaped like a jetpack and literally rockets around the tub; a Space Girl that will orbit the tub leaving a trail of stardust and a blackcurrant aroma and finally an Ickle Baby Bot that’s made with soothing chamomile and lavender to calm down excited minds after Christmas Day. It’s out of this world. Contents: Ickle Baby Bot, Rocketeer, Space Girl

Mr. Frosty ($19.95) Unwrap this jolly Knot-Wrapped snowman and discover three wonderful bath goodies for your tub. There’s the present shaped Golden Wonder, that’s packed with uplifting essential oils of orange, cognac and lime. The Christmas classics Lil’ LUSH Pud and Cinders form his body and head; Cinders will comfort with its almond essential oils and Lil’ LUSH Pud will soften with aloe vera extract. Contents: Golden Wonder, Lil’ LUSH Pud, Cinders

Best Wishes ($19.95) Best wishes, glad tidings and three bath time wonders just for you. The first is new strawberry scented Superstars bubble bar; there’s also the zesty Satsumo Santa bath bomb to uplift the spirits and finally a So White bath bomb, that froths around the tub leaving behind a blanket of snowy white, apple scented bubbles. Nice and traditional, its hand wrapped with a white natural paper (hand embossed with festive stars) from India and tied together with a woven red and white ribbon. Contents: Satsumo Santa, So White, Superstars

Snow Fairy Gift ($22.95) A fabulous and magical trio of sugary treats for the Snow Fairy in all of us. Prettily wrapped in pink, it contains the bubble-icious vanilla scented Snow Fairy shower gel, a star shaped chunk of Angel’s Delight soap, scented with orange and tangerine oils and a Shimmy Shimmy massage bar to leave a trail of fairy dust on the skin. This delightful gift is tied together with a pink bow and comes with its very own jingle bell. Contents: Angels Delight, Shimmy Shimmy, Snow Fairy shower gel

Gingerbread House ($27.95) Move over Hansel and Gretel, this Gingerbread House is for LUSH bath lovers only! There’s the spicy cinnamon Gingerbread House bubble bar to warm and stimulate circulation while Cinders bath bomb contains popping candy. The sweet vanilla Candy Mountain bubble bar and apple scented So White bath bomb complete the set! Contents: Candy Mountain, Cinders, Gingerbread House, So White

A Few of My Favourite Things ($29.95) Brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of our favorite things, handpicked especially for you. This shower gift contains everything from the new Jilted Elf shower jelly packed with vodka to tone and brighten the skin to the refreshingly citrusy Snow Globe soap. All you need is a few of your favorite things to help get you through the holiday stresses. Contents: Sugar Scrub, Olive Branch shower gel, The Jilted Elf, Snow Globe soap

Christmas Tweets ($29.95) This gorgeous little box is full of vanilla and marzipan scented goodies, including the solid hand serum Tiny Hands to soften those busy holiday hands. Wrapped up in chirpy robin decorated paper and tied together in a lovely red ribbon, you’ll want to tweet about these treats once you’ve opened up your gift! Contents: Three Gold Rings, Butterball, Crème Anglaise, Snowcake, Tiny Hands

OH! Christmas Tree! ($32.95) We’ve got every part of the tree covered with this gift. There’s a Superstars bubble bar for the top of the tree, along with a Candy Mountain bubble bar to garnish it with. And of course for underneath the tree, we’ve got a new Golden Wonder bath bomb that’s shaped like a gift and has a surprise inside. There’s even a relaxing and soothing Christmas Eve bubble bar, to calm everyone down after all the festive excitement. Contents: Candy Mountain, Christmas Eve, Golden Wonder, Superstars

Baby, It’s Cold Outside ($36.95) You’ll find five frosty shower goodies in this delightful box! There’s the new Jilted Elf shower jelly that’s best used frozen for a really stimulating shower, the new Australian Igloo body scrub to gently polish skin with fair trade sugar and a citrus blast of limes from the Northern Lights soap. Our Too Drunk emotibomb will clear your head while Dirty Springwash will help you clean up after a night out. Contents: Australian Igloo sugar scrub, Dirty Springwash shower gel, The Jilted Elf, Northern Lights, Too Drunk

Christmas Star ($39.95) Give yourself a gold star for being so good this year. This star shaped box contains the new skin softening Snowman Melt bath melt and the warming Cinders bath bomb that contains popping candy to emulate the crackling of an open fire. Follow this Christmas star and right into your nearest LUSH! Contents: Candy Mountain, Cinders, Lil’ LUSH Pud, Snowman Melt, So White, Superstars

Happy Christmas ($44.95) The tag says it all! Containing a selection of bath bombs, bubble bars and soaps just let these six bath and body treats do the talking. Contents: Candy Cane soap, Christmas Eve bubble bar, Golden Wonder bath bomb, Cinders bath bomb, Three Gold Rings bubble bar, Snowcake soap

Christmas Candy Box ($45.95) Feel like a kid in a sweet shop with our selection of sugary, pink treats! It contains all the sweet treats we could find, including our global seasonal best seller Snow Fairy shower gel and the new Candy Cane pepperminty soap. Contents: Candy Cane soap, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Sugar Babe, Snow Fairy shower gel, Snow Fairy lip tint, So White bath bomb

Christmas Bathtime Favourites ($49.95) Inside this traditional tin, you’ll find a mix of nine limited edition and year round favourite and best selling bath bombs. LUSH’s classic invention, the bath bomb, was first invented in 1987. Bath bombs fizz around the bath emitting the finest ingredients and essential oils, there’s one to suit every mood and every occasion. This year’s tin depicts Santa’s sleigh and a snowman. Contents: Avobath, Big Blue, Cinders, Golden Wonder, Honey B, Lil’ LUSH Pud, Rocketeer, Satsumo Santa, So White

Under The Mistletoe ($49.95) Give this gift to the object of your desires and you’ll be sure to get them under the mistletoe this Christmas! They’ll be more than seduced with such goodies as the citrusy Snow Globe soap and the super softening and super fruity So White bath bomb. There’s also a tin of None of Your Beeswax, to help combat dry lips and leave you mistletoe ready! Contents: Avobath, Each Peach massage bar, Olive Branch, Snow Globe, So White, You’ve Been Mangoed, None of Your Beeswax

Christmas Delights ($54.95) Inside this wonderfully festive tin you’ll find year round treats alongside Christmas delights. Indulge with the supremely luxurious and deeply moisturizing Vanilla Deelite as well as the body buffing Sugar Scrub nestled alongside holiday offerings such as the sugar sweet Candy Cane soap and Snow Fairy shower gel. There’s even a Heavanilli massage bar to delight those a little frazzled after the stresses of the season. Contents: Angels Delight, Candy Cane soap, Heavanilli Massage Bar, Snow Fairy shower gel, Sugar Babe, Vanilla Deelite

Stardust ($54.95) Magic fills the air when you open this package of confectionery-scented goodies. Cast a spell with the new Magic Wand reusable bubble bar that you swish around the bath tub to create masses of bubbles and a delicious Bubblegum lip scrub to exfoliate the lips beautifully leaving them Christmas kiss ready! Wrapped in bright pink paper emblazoned with shooting stars and tied with a silver lamé ribbon – it’s the perfect gift to sprinkle someone’s Christmas with a little stardust. Contains: Angels Delight, Bubblegum lip scrub, Candy Mountain, Magic Wand, Shimmy Shimmy, Snow Fairy shower gel, Space Girl

Tin of Pure Imagination ($54.95) For lovers of all invention, a tin bursting with some of our most magical creations, handpicked especially for you. Prepare to be astonished by the two-layered bath bombs that frantically fizz around the bath emitting brightly colored, frothing, softening bubbles. Be amazed by solid toothpaste tabs that leave your teeth squeaky clean and your breath strangely perfumed. You will be unable to believe your eyes at this awe-inspiring insight into the pure imagination of LUSH. Contains: Abombinaball, Australian Igloo sugar scrub, Pow Wow lip scrub, The Jilted Elf, Rocketeer, Snowman Melt, Superstars, Ultrablast Toothy Tabs

Billy Bonkers ($59.95) Take off the lid and peer into this candy wonderland! Lovers of sweet as sugar bath and body goodies will go bonkers for this gift. Contents: Candy Cane soap, Candy Mountain, Strawberry Feels, Gingerbread House, Lil’ LUSH Pud, Ma Bar, Magic Wand, Mmm Bath Melt

Bathtime Favourites – The Golden Collection ($59.95) All that glitters must be gold! You’ll find eight dazzling golden goodies for a gloriously fragrant Christmas. Contents: Three Gold Rings, Cinders, Dragon’s Egg bath bomb, Golden Wonder, Snowcake soap, Sunny Side bubble bar, Superstars and Ultimate Shine shampoo bar

Home For Christmas ($59.95) Welcome home! Here’s a keepsake box filled with cosy, comforting vanilla and honey treats. Vanilla is known to be comforting and reassuring, evoking memories of home baked cakes and the family kitchen at Christmas time. Honey is soothing and calming on the emotions, plus a real treat for the skin. All wrapped in a hatbox emblazoned with snowy scenes, it’s a real feel-good kind of gift. Contents: Three Gold Rings bubble bar, Gingerbread House bubble bar, Christmas Eve bubble bar, Honey I Washed the Kids soap, It’s Raining Men shower gel, Lil’ LUSH Pud bath bomb, Dream Cream

12 Days of Christmas ($79.95) You won’t find a partridge in a pear tree in this keepsake box. Enjoy twelve delightful gifts from LUSH instead, including the brand new Golden Wonder bath bomb, Superstars bubble bar and Snowman Melt bath melt. Contents: Candy Cane soap, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Christmas Eve, Cinders bath bomb, Gingerbread House, Golden Wonder, Lil’ LUSH Pud, Satsumo Santa, Snow Globe, Snowman Melt, So White, Superstars

Northern Lights ($99.95) A seasonal selection as colorful as the Northern Lights, all wrapped up in a reusable hatbox. It’s filled to the brim with invigorating and uplifting products, to keep your spirits high during the long, dark days. Speaking of spirits, tucked inside you’ll find Jilted Elf shower jelly that contains vodka to tone and brighten the skin and the warming and fruity favorite Glogg shower gel, with cinnamon and spice to get the blood flowing and keep you warm against the cold. Contents: Angels Delight, Australian Igloo Sugar Scrub, Buffy, Lemony Flutter, Wiccy Magic Muscles, Dirty Toothy Tabs, Glogg, The Jilted Elf, Northern Lights soap, Ocean Salt, Dirty Springwash, Snow Globe soap

Merry Christmas Darling ($124.95) A tower of very special and sexy bath and shower treats for a very special someone. We’ve selected some of the most sensual bath, shower and body products we make, containing essential oils like exotic jasmine, ylang ylang and clary sage that are renowned aphrodisiacs. This gift also includes our brand new Aquatic toothy tabs, to perfume your breath with sensual jasmine before smooching under the mistletoe. Merry Christmas indeed! Contents: Three Gold Rings, Angels Delight, Aquatic Toothy Tabs, Christmas Eve, Flying Fox, Golden Wonder, It Started with a Kiss, Sex Bomb, Sex in the Shower, Silky Underwear, Snowcake, Soft Coeur, Sugar Babe, Sweet Lips, Tisty Tosty

All I Want For Christmas ($189.95) Receiving is definitely better than giving when the gift is this good. (Nearly) all of our limited edition products can be found in this big glittery box all tied together with a gold ribbon! Contents: Three Gold Rings, Abombinaball bath bomb, Angels Delight soap, Australian Igloo Sugar Scrub, Candy Cane soap, Candy Mountain, Chilli Tingle lip tint, Christmas Eve, Cinders, Gingerbread House, Glogg, Golden Wonder, The Jilted Elf, Lil’ LUSH Pud, Magic Wand, Northern Lights, Pow Wow lip scrub, Rocketeer, Satsumo Santa, Snow Fairy shower gel, Snow Globe soap, Snowman Melt, Snowcake, So White, Superstars

Wonderful Christmastime ($199.95) A huge oblong gift, you’ll find the inside to be divided into sections reminiscent of a chocolate box. Twenty-five extraordinary LUSH inventions, an assortment of year round favorites and limited editions fill this glorious Christmas treasure chest. It’s our favorite way to count down to the big day! Contents: Bubblegum lip scrub, Candy Cane soap, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Christmas Eve bubble bar, Ultrabalm, Dream Cream, Golden Wonder bath bomb, Hottie massage bar, Jungle conditioner, Karma soap, None of Your Beeswax lip balm, Pied De Pepper foot cream, Rocketeer bath bomb, Satsumo Santa bath bomb, Seanik shampoo bar, Snow Fairy shower gel, Snow Globe soap, Snowman Melt, Superstars, Sweetie Pie, The Comforter, Tiny Hands hand serum, Twilight bath bomb, Buffy, Ultrablast Toothy Tabs

Deborah Lippmann Sugar Plum Fantasy Nail Lacquer Gift Set Review & Swatches!

So the Lippmann camp has put out a TON of limited edition collections for this holiday season! And by a ton, I mean there are TWENTY so far. And its only mid October. I am sure there will be one or two more announced before the season is through. This one is the one I was most looking forward too. Its also the one that was NOT available in Canada and was the one I was most worried about getting!

My uncle planned a last minute cruise (by last minute I mean he booked Monday and left Tuesday) and thus needed help dealing with things around his house when he was gone! So I offered to stay there to meet the plumber, take out the trash on trash day and bring in the mail daily. And as a thank you, this is what I got! How great an uncle is THAT? Totally made my day! Especially since there are very few states that actually HAVE Bloomingdales. I live about an hour away from the American Border, but there is NO store ANYWHERE near North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota or the like! But anyways...... I'll quit ranting!

Now as mentioned, this is the set I was MOST looking forward too! Look how stunningly GORGEOUS theses polishes are. Unfortunately the excitement didn't last long. There is nothing WRONG with this set, don't get me wrong, its just not at all what I was expecting and just really not my thing. For many of you though this set will be perfect! Its just not perfect for ME.

The reason that this set is not a win for me is how completely sheer they are. All the swatches I will show you are FOUR coats of the polish, followed by one coat over Gosh Nero (a black creme). I would say that you would need a fifth coat on the nail to avoid a visible nail line. They are in my opinion STUNNING with one coat over black but too dark and vampy that way for me personally to wear. 

Sugar And Spice is a light purpley/mauvey/beigey sheer base FULL of a rosey/purpley microglitter and a ton of turquoise microglitter.

Sugar Rum Cherry is a reddish/coppery rose colour loaded with slightly holographic microglitter. I would say that this was probably the most opaque (not opaque by any means, but less sheer) than the others in the set.

While Sugar Shack is the darkest colour in the bottle, it is ironically the most sheer of the bunch (seeing as these are all as sheer as they are, its not a very big difference between sheerest and least sheer). Sugar Shack is a sheer purple base full of pink and turquoise microglitter.