Strawberry Milk

So I rarely come across a color that I dislike, so when I do it comes as a surprise. The color in question is Essie Pop Art Pink, and what prompted me to buy it was Scrangie's swatch which made it look like milky pink perfection.

Where to begin...first of all this looked much cooler-toned than I anticipated, which I'm not fond of. Pop Art Pink is a light milky pink jelly. My skin is very warm and cool toned reds and pinks always seem to clash horribly. It's also a very "Barbie-ish" pink, which while pretty is just not my style. I lean more toward the blush and antique-pink hues.

The formula is very sheer and rather streaky. Shown here is 4 thin coats, because it was patchy and uneven at 3 despite my best application skills. I do love the milkiness and slight translucency of it, though. If I don't swap this away I'm considering tinkering with the color a bit to more suit my taste.

Funnily enough, since this bottle is the "retail" version sold at drugstores rather than the "salon" version, the sticker on top of the cap reads "Poppy Art Pink". I've noticed these changes between the retail and salon versions--i.e. "Lapiz of Luxury" rather than "Lapis of Luxury". Why the unnecessary name changes, Essie? Is it supposed to make the names more personable to the barbaric masses who don't know what Pop Art is and sub Z's for their S's? Hahaha.

Bambi

So despite all my moaning about the heat, it's actually cooled off a bit in the past few days, due in no small part to the endless rain we've been getting. I'm dreading it getting warmer again, because as the temperature climbs my productivity level inevitably drops...the past month all I've wanted to do is laze around and catch up on Season 3 of My Little Pony (yup, I am....a Brony *screams internally* O u O ).

Anyway, enough banter. A couple weeks ago I posted this deer-print dress. I adored the look of it, and could only hope that the actuality was just as cute. Items from Chinese Ebay sellers are very hit-or-miss--for example, those pretty floral wedges that I showed in the same post? Really didn't measure up.

Pardon the mess, I've just moved to a new apartment!

Luckily this frock is just as cute in real life. I'm sure it's actually too twee for a lot of people my age, but personally this is just the kind of thing I like to dress up with a leather jacket and a spike headband. Here's a closeup of the pattern:

Sorry about all the wrinkles! I haven't had a chance to unpack my iron yet. All listings say this dress is chiffon, but it's really more of a poly-crepe, and nowhere near as sheer enough to be considered a chiffon. At least they admit it is polyester. There are stray threads all over the place of course, but at least there are no ragged or (super) uneven edges. There is also a seam running right through the center front of the skirt, which I'm not crazy about but you can't really tell when it's on since it's concealed in the folds anyway.

Overall this is a decent buy for the price; I'd say it's probably around Forever21 quality, which is what I was expecting, so I'm not disappointed on that front. In terms of the design I'm super pleased by how cute it is.

It's been a while since I've done an outfit post (and this technically isn't a *real* one since I didn't go out in it), it's because I lost my big mirrored wardrobe when I moved so it's hard to take pictures. And it's too embarrassing to ask A to do it for me. But I hope you enjoyed this sort of half-assed review of this dress! I hope to get it together and do more soon.

Centaurea cyanus

Hello hello! It's been so hot recently that even the thought of wearing warm hues like red and yellow have been unbearable. Give me something cool and icy, even if it's just a color!

It's not much-raved about, but I'm actually a pretty big fan of Forever21's Love&Beauty polish line. They have a lot of unique shades and a big range of (metallic) glitters in practically every color you could want, at $2.80 a pop. The only thing that is a bit disappointing is how uncreative and repetitive they are with their naming--I have 2 different L&B polishes both named "Lavender" and another two both named "Turquoise"--but it's a small qualm.

This is Love&Beauty Light Blue, which is a woefully inadequate name for this dainty cornflower blue packed with silver sparkles. It has the kind of unique shimmer that isn't all uniform, which makes it all the prettier. Shown here is 4 coats; it's not the most pigmented of polishes, plus I've noticed that the L&B polishes have a slightly slower drying time than most of the lacquer I buy, but for $2.80 you really can't complain too much. Plus I suspect that a more heavily pigmented base wouldn't have allowed the shimmer to shine so nicely.

Mintcicle

I have a *lot* of polishes (three guesses how many), and inevitably some of them have never been worn. That number is dwindling since I do my nails 2-3 times a week, and often layer two or more polishes at a time. Essie Mint Candy Apple was one of these. What's a little disheartening is I remember how much I LOVED the color of this polish at the time when I bought it, when it first came out in Winter 2009, but it went untried until now.

This is 2 coats of Mint Candy Apple, which applies fairly easily for a pastel. I was actually expecting it to be too thick just by the look of it, but it has a nice consistency and very good opacity for such a light color. Mint Candy Apple, while certainly minty, actually has a slight turquoise tint to it, more like Wintergreen Tic Tacs than actual straight-up mint green. It dries slightly darker than the color in the bottle.

As a topper, I applied 2 coats of OPI Pirouette My Whistle, which is one of my favorite topping glitters, filled with silver microglitter and pearly white hex glitter.

Electric Pineapples

I've gone from apples to pineapples. The weather's blisteringly hot here in NYC, like high 90s, and I'm about ready to die (I can't stand heat!). I donned this bright yellow to contrast with that purple drop-waist dress I got from Urban Outfitters.

Shown here is 3 coats of Revlon Electric topped with 2 coats of Revlon Pineapple Fizz. By itself, Electric is a banana yellow with a fine yellow micro-shimmer, and a dupe to Chanel Mimosa. It has a passable formula for a yellow; it's a bit thick and I had to use 3 coats because it was slightly patchy at 2, but as yellows go it was well-pigmented and not overly watery. I did have some bubbling issues, but I suspect it's a user error (since I have managed to get a bubble-free mani out of this polish before).

Bubbling, unlike popular belief, is not caused by air bubbles in the liquid polish, and the bubbles aren't really air; it is actually caused by the evaporating gases being trapped between layers of polish, which happens if the top surface of a polish dries before the polish beneath has dried sufficiently. I do want to note that this happens in particular with slow-drying polishes, which is ironic since this is supposed to be the "Top Speed" line, but I digress. Next time I plan on thinning this and waiting longer between coats.

To hide the bubbles, I applied 2 coats of Pineapple Fizz on top. Pineapple Fizz is a sheer yellow polish with tiny clear flakies and iridescent shimmers. The tint in the polish made Electric a much brighter yellow color, and also gave my nails a fake but pleasant sugary pineapple scent. You can smell it through topcoat, but it fades after a day or two.

VAILLA

Today I'd like to show a presentation that I made as one of my final projects. We were given the instructions to create our own brand and brand identity, and design 2 looks for the collection. This is my creation.

I hope you enjoyed it! I look forward to showing more of my work here in the future (after all, it is what I originally started this blog for).

Love Always,
Artoo

Jelly Apples

This week my nails have been painted red, red, red, with a classic--Essie Jelly Apple. I'm always tempted to throw some glitter over any mani that crosses my path, but for once I resisted with this one, and I love it. There is just something so glam about a simple red mani, and I'm definitely going to be wearing it a lot more often whenever I feel like letting my inner pinup loose. Jelly Apple in particular is super shiny and juicy looking with a lot of depth, and it looks like candy on my nails.

At first coat, Jelly Apple pulls very blue-toned; in fact I was incredibly disappointed because I was sure it would be too cool for my skin, which is very warm and looks awful with blue-toned reds. But at second coat all my fears were assuaged because as it builds in opacity the overtly cool tint evens itself out to a lovely glassy red that doesn't pull blue at all.

Jelly Apple has a very nice formula that practically applies itself. Here I'm wearing 4 thin coats. You could probably be okay at 3 coats if you don't mind the tiniest bit of visible nail line.

Home is Where My Butt is

For a lot of people, living in New York City means subjecting yourself to moving every year when your lease is up, always in search of that elusive, perfect One--the apartment that doesn't leak, or have rats, cockroaches, or bedbugs, or a crazy neighbor or a landlord that raises the rent by a couple hundred above your budget.

This year I moved in with A, and we found a sunny studio apartment in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We haven't quite got around to setting it in order yet, partially because our moving date was inconveniently right during my finals week, but also because we haven't yet managed to make our long-planned trip to IKEA for new furniture (we're planning on getting a loft bed to make room for a bookshelf and desk for my workspace).

A and I have very different views on interior decorating; A's style is decidedly, er, masculine--before I moved in, everything in his apartment were shades of black and brown, with a whopping great black leather couch and not a spot of color anywhere. On the other hand, I have an inclination for light natural wood and pale colors. Luckily, while I have to restrain myself from adorning the walls with pastel bunting and fairylights, my own little nook and the kitchen are free game to my whimsy.

I've sworn off buying anything for the apartment until we get the furniture sorted out and organized all our stuff, so in the meantime I've settle for making wishlists of the things I've found that sparked my imagination.

COW BUTTER CROCK FROM BOSTON WAREHOUSE | POLKA-DOTTED POTHOLDERS FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE 

HUNGRY CAT CASE FROM TOKYOINSPIRED | PEACH AND GOLD DOT DISH FROM UPINTHEAIRSOMEWHERE 

CHOCOLATE DIGESTIVE CUSHION FROM NIKKI MCWILLIAMS | RÅSKOG CART FROM IKEA

001. I love to spread butter on my toast--my favorite way to eat it is a layer of salted butter topped with a layer of raspberry jam, or, if I'm in the mood for something savory, a thin scraping of Marmite. This cow-head crock is great for keeping my butter fresh and soft at room temperature.

002. This oven mitt and potholder from Anthro are pricey, but the adorable print and decorative topstitching makes this one of the cutest sets I've ever seen.

003. Omnomnom! This cheeky kitty captured my attention immediately, and the soft wool case would be perfect for my stashing my glasses.

004. I couldn't resist the charm of this pretty little earthenware catchall dish finished with gold leaf and pastel glaze. I'm not quite sure what I'd put in it, but it would be pretty just as decoration on my desk.

005. I love the simple, contemporary design of this quaint cushion, cutesy yet totally without frills. Unfortunately adding in shipping from Scotland, this cushion totals out to be quite a sum, so I'm considering DIYing my own version :)

006. The turquoise color of the RÅSKOG cart alone would have compelled me to buy it; the convenience of a portable storage space (to be rolled under my desk when not in use) makes it perfect for my small apartment. In fact between you and me, I actually already have this one--A bought it for me when he made an IKEA trip on his day off. 

 

Review! Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste

With the warmer weather, I've been in the mood to play a little more with my makeup. I normally wear fairly natural makeup: mascara, blush, and brow liner are my staples, with plenty of concealer to hide my dark circles. If I'm feeling extravagant maybe I'll smudge some kohl liner around my eyes. I tend to neglect my lips, mainly because I'm often constantly snacking throughout the day and the idea of touching up my makeup after every nibble is more upkeep than I want.

Lately, though, I've been craving a poppy orange lipstick--I'm talking Maybelline Vivids Electric Orange-level of brightness. The thing with bright lips of course is that they draw attention to your mouth and teeth...what state are my pearly whites in?

Before:

Say Cheese!

Not too bad right? I had braces in high school, prior to which I had some MAJOR buckteeth going on, but thanks to an agonizing 4 years (and like 7k, thanks Mom and Dad!) they're nice and straight. There is some enamel decalcification which are the whiter spots, caused by trauma to my permanent teeth before they were fully formed. Since I'm a regular tea and coffee drinker, it stained my teeth a bit so I feel like the white discolorations are even more visible.

Of course, probably no one but me notices such things, but it's nice to feel happy with your own appearance, even the small things that no one else sees. Overall I've always felt that my teeth were a little dull and yellowed, but I've never really bothered about them enough to really do anything about it.

I *have* noticed that wearing reds and corals brings out the yellowness in them, though, so almost on a whim I picked up a tube of Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White toothpaste from Duane Reade for $6 (which, by the way, is a total ripoff--it's only $4 on Amazon).

What the box claims:

-Removes 90% of surface stains in 5 days
-Shines to brighten teeth in just 1 day
-Uses the same enamel-safe teeth whitening agent dentists use

I wasn't really expecting it to work, since I've used whitening toothpastes intermittently in the past without any noticeable effect. I didn't notice any change in the brightness of my teeth after the first day, so I figured it was another dud. I kept using it though, since I needed toothpaste. I've been brushing with it 1-2 times a day for about 3 minutes, for about a week. Last night I looked closer in the mirror in surprise, because...results!

After:

I'm pretty impressed that the toothpaste actually whitened my teeth noticeably, maybe 2 shades lighter! Even though I had zero expectations, this was a pleasant surprise for relatively little work and cost. I had no problems with tooth sensitivity, which has plagued me in the past.

The ingredients list contain no bleaching agents, only hydrated silica, which means that this toothpaste whitens your teeth by polishing the enamel to its natural whiteness with the abrasive silica...as you can see, it works! I'm pretty okay with that. A has been using it with great results too. It does make me wonder why all those other whitening toothpastes didn't work, though.

In conclusion:

Does this product do what it claims? YES!
Would I buy it again? Definitely yes!

Disclaimer: The product reviewed in this post was purchased by me, and all opinions are my own :)

Confessions of an Online Shopper

Okay, so it's terrible, but...since I spend quite a bit of time browsing the Internet, unsurprisingly I come across quite a number of "pretties" and all this cool shit that I want. I'm not immune to the charms of materialism...however, I actually rarely make immediate purchases, which is significant in terms of cutting down my impulse buys. Let me divulge to you how I cope with my shopping urges: I save the links to all these things in a folder on my browser, and periodically open them to look at them and ponder if I still want that item. Sometimes my desire for a particular thing wanes, and then I can delete that item from my folder, or perhaps it will be sold out or discontinued, in which case I alternately feel satisfied (because I can no longer spend my hard-earned money on that item) and sad (because if I *really* wanted it and it was expensive and I was just holding out on it...damn).

Eventually though my list boils down to a number of items that have been on there for months, and if they're in my affordability range, or otherwise something else triggers me like it suddenly goes on sale...well, it's time for a shopping spree. The great thing is that I don't feel super guilty (just a little...) about it, since I've "proven" to myself that I genuinely like and want those items, and am not just buying it because I felt a bit sad and wanted to shop to make myself feel better.

As of now, I still have a couple things I have in mind that I want to round on my spring/summer wardrobe (blush ballet flats...), but with this recent haul I'm hoping I won't be needing to make any more big shopping expeditions for a while.

First, from Urban Outfitters, my friendly neighborhood hipster-oasis:

 

Silence & Noise Silky Drop-Waist Dress, $15. I've been craving colors that deviate from my usual palette of blush, white, and black lately...like amethyst and mustard. I've been sewing up a sunny, golden-yellow sundress, but this satiny drop-waist minidress from UO is great for a lazy day...but not completely unsuitable for a night out either.

 Kimchi Blue Two-Tone Heart Wallet in Pink, $16. I currently have a teal and gold ziparound checkbook wallet, which is gorgeous but a bit large, especially since now that I'm out of class and will no longer be toting around huge bags. This smaller size is much more convenient. 

I also have been searching for a pair of good flat summer sandals for a while, and finally found these two-tone metallic ones by Lucky. I shopped around for the best price, and settles on Shoes.com, which had them full-price at $69, but with free shipping and a nice 20% off discount code.

 

Lucky Covela Sandals in Nigori Rose, $55. Always curious about interesting product naming, I searched "Nigori" to discover that it is a term used to describe sake (Japanese rice wine) when the sake is unfiltered and cloudy.

And last but not least...I confess an extreme weakness for the China-based sellers that hawk their mass-produced, flimsy garments on Ebay. All the sellers seem to share a similar stock of merchandise, so it's easy to compare prices and color options (size often not being an option as they are more often than not one-size-fits-all!).

Skull Back Cut-Out T-Shirt in White, $5. An unabashed knockoff of Urban Outfitters brand Truly Madly Deeply's shirt...I thought it was the coolest thing ever, but it was like $40 and I was all "LOLNOPE".

Chiffon Scallop-Hem Top in White, $4. I've been loving this sheer scallop-edged tank for a while now, and I finally decided to get one. This top comes in 7 colors and I wanted ALL THE COLORS but I contented myself with just the white one, for now.

Deer-Print dress in Pink, $21. I stumbled upon this confection of a dress on SheInside.com, but upon reading that the site was based in China, got the bright idea to search Ebay for the same dress at a better price..."Deer print dress" revealed, TA-DAAA! Indeed, several sellers carried the dress, in two colorways, no less--you can also get it in navy blue.

Sweet Floral Strappy Wedge Sandals, $37. This was the one thing that I dithered on for a while, and I admit was a bit of an impulsive purchase--I *really* don't need any more heels, and I've been wearing my heels less lately since my job requires me to be on my feet for several hours at a time. In the end though, I really loved these shoes too much to leave them behind. I miiiiiight have talked myself into them...whoops. I hope they'll be comfy!

And that concludes my Spring Haul :D