WEEKEND SALES

Receive a free philosophy Best Sellers Kit ($25 value) with any $50 philosophy purchase at Beauty.com! While supplies last.

New Customers - get $5 off $35 or $10 off $70 on your first Beauty.com order! Offer ends 01.01.2012.

Get a FREE realness of concealness kit at BenefitCosmetics.com with any $85 order! Add product to shopping bag and enter REALKITT at checkout. Offer valid 7/26/11 to 8/1/11. While supplies last.

Now through 8/1, customers can get free shipping!  

This offer is valid with purchases of $25 or more with coupon code: SHIP25

Take 20% off your entire Online purchase with coupon code 19288.  Ends 07/30/11.

Take $10 off any $50 purchase when you use online code 10199.

Get a FREE 13 pc. Gift with any $17 purchase of Ulta Cosmetics. *While Quantities Last.*

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Scientist chicks are HAUTE!

(spelling usage intentional to avoid scary creepers)


I bought myself a bottle of glycerin maybe... two years ago?  But never did anything with it.  Now I will, thanks to Loodie Loodie Loodie's YT video!





Detailed blog post:  http://loodieloodieloodie.blogspot.com/2011/07/moisturize-your-nails-with-acetone.html


Don't forget to subscribe to her blog and YT channel!




Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Comparison of Grayed-out Lilacs

This is a post from the early days of my blog, I hope my newer readers will enjoy it!

I have been on a kick with these dusty violets lately! I realized I have acquired quite a few and wanted to share, hopefully you will find a lemming killer - or a new lemming!

One of these is not like the other!

The first time I wore this p2 I didn't see ANY of the shimmer, which is why I included it in this set. Now I clearly see it should not be grouped with the others.

No true dupes, but they are all close.
I most likely will keep them all, or if I see one of them on a wish list I might send it along.
(Good reason to keep your wishlists up-to-date!)

thumb to pinky:
p2 gracious - 2 coats
Illamasqua Velocity (UK) - 2 coats
joe Fig - 2 coats
Color Club - Uptown Girl - 3 coats
American Apparel - Dynasty - 3 coats

no top coat

my thoughts:

best formulas - Illamasqua, joe
darkest - joe, then Illamasqua
most purple red - Color Club

most similar - Color Club and American Apparel
thinnest formula - Color Club and American Apparel, but looked good after 3 coats

Availability

p2 - Germany

Illamasqua - UK (exclusive color)

joe - Canada

Color Club - US (I got mine from Ross!)

American Apparel - US

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy (Pedi)

Another blast from the past post!  We are still not in our new home yet, currently we are living out of our cars and our friends couches... hopefully I will have my real computer up and running soon =)

China Glaze's Poolside Collection was very highly anticipated, I know quite a few people who bought the who set the day it came out. For some reason I wasn't really feeling it, so I waited. First I ordered Towel Boy Toy, and I loved it! Then I decided I NEEDED Flip Flop Fantasy. Naturally it was sold out at all the Sally's (or Sadly's) around me, I went to at least four different ones!

Which is why I was so happy I stumbled upon it at Ulta of all places a few weeks ago.
I guess I should be glad that Ulta really sucks at getting their inventory out sometimes!

I tried to take "normal" shots of this POTD, but I couldn't capture the neon color correctly.
I was seriously just messing around when I took these shots (there might have been some margaritas involved). But I really loved how they turned out!

Happy Feet!

This was two coats on my little toes, and three on the big toes. Rather hard to work with formula, I need more practice!

xoxo,
polish insomniac

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

ChG Rodeo Fanatic vs OPI How Are You Blue-In

Index and Ring:  China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic
Middle and Pinky:  OPI How Are You Blue-in?

When I published bottle pics of the Ulta exclusive OPI's, many of you commented that the darker color looked like China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic.  You can see from these pictures the colors are very different!  However, the polish applied like a dream.  I love them both!

TooFaced.com 15% off! Today ONLY!

I have actually had my eye on their Teddy Bear brush set for awhile now.  Do any of you have it?  What are your thoughts?

Get 15% OFF Your Entire Too Faced Order with Code: JETSETTER. Manic Monday Offers end at midnight PST.

Steals and Deals for the Week of 07/24 - 07/30

Athleta - Semi-Annual sale!  Save up to 70%


Banana Republic 
07/25 - 35% off your entire order, use code BRSUMMER
07/26 - 30% off your entire order, use code BRSUMMER


Beauty.com - New Customers - get $5 off $35 or $10 off $70 on your first Beauty.com order!  Click here.

Everyday free shipping on orders $25+ at Beauty.com!  Click here.

Beauty Encounter - 20% off our favorite brands thru July 31st.  Valid on SELECT BRANDS ONLY: Anthony Logistics, Avene, Bosley, glominerals, Klorane, Napoleon Perdis, Pangea Organics. Add qualifying items to your shopping bag. Enter coupon code BWE827 and click “APPLY”

Beauty Habit - FREE GROUND SHIPPING on orders of $35.00 or more! Coupon code SHOPSMART. Expires July 31st.


Lancome - Free shipping and sample duo, no promo code necessary


Old Navy - 30% off New Arrivals use code ONNEW30 expires 07/27/11


SkinCareRx.com - 20% OFF STOREWIDE.  Use coupon code NEWADDRESS20 at checkout. Restrictions Apply.


Smashbox - Free shipping on ANY US order


Target - 30% off all Women's Calypso at Target.com - Ends 7/30/11

Get FREE US standard shipping with any purchase of $50 or more. Enter promo code PRETTY50 at checkout.
Get FREE international standard shipping with any purchase of $115 or more. Enter promo code WORLD115 at checkout.

Free Ojon hair serum with any $25 or more order ($12 value).  

Enter RESTORE at checkout.

Free Caudalie Vinoperfect moisturizer with any $25 or more order ($23 value).  

Enter VINOSPF at checkout.  

Free Justin Bieber laptop case with purchase of 1.7oz SOMEDAY fragrance. 

Enter SOMEDAY at checkout.

Get on THE LIST! - Take 20% Off your order when you sign up for the Stila Newsletter

Get FREE SHIPPING on TooFaced.com with orders of $50 or more!

Free Femme Couture Mineral Effects Baked Eye Shadow (excludes Baked Duo) with any $10 purchase is valid in stores and online. To redeem this offer online, add at least $10 (pre-tax) worth of products and one Femme Couture Mineral Effects Baked Eye Shadow (your choice) to your cart and enter promo code 555449 in the space provided at checkout. The price of one Femme Couture Mineral Effects Baked Eye Shadow will be deducted from your total. While quantities last. Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 7/31/11.

$15 off $75 with code SAVE15ON75. Exclusions Apply

$10 off $50 with code SAVE10ON50. Exclusions Apply
$3.50 off any $10 purchase with promo code 66737. Exclusions Apply.

Don't Forget Your Ebates!

My fairy name...

My fairy name is Bindweed Elffilter
She is cheerful and friendly.
She lives at the bottom of tangled gardens and in hedgerows.
She can only be seen on midsummer's eve.
She wears tangled multicoloured skirts made of petals and has transparent green wings like a cicada.
Get your own fairy names from The Fairy Name Generator!

TooFaced New Smokey Eye Swatches

While browsing around at ULTA yesterday I was surprised to run into the New TooFaced Smokey Eye Collection.  I had seen it online but this was the first time I had seen it in person (my Sephora does not have them in stock).  Now, I am no KarlaSugar, and I am not used to swatching outside my home.  So I apologize for the messiness of these swatches!

Firefly, White Lie, In A Flash

I die.  I love the shimmer in these!  And they are multichromes!!!

Cloves, Nice Ash, Smoking Jacket

Click to enlarge!

Up in Smoke, Smokin Hot, Smolder

Please forgive the quality of these last three - I ran out of room, they are matte, and I didn't use a base.  These are the shadows I would normally use as an eyeliner.

Now, I am a complete sucker for TooFaced eyeshadow palettes (palettes in general, really).  But I hated the original Smokey Eye palette.  I am ready to not eat for a week so I can go back and buy this baby!!!

The Smokey Eyeshadow collection is $36.00 and is available at Sephora.com and Ulta.com.  I did not yet see if on TooFaced's website, but I am sure it will be there soon!  

Don't forget, today and tomorrow only take 20% off your entire ONLINE purchase with coupon code 19288.



Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Save 20% at ULTA - Today and Tomorrow ONLY!

Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

Buffing out a nail tear - tried, tested, and approved!

I was overjoyed at how many of you loved the last Loodie Loodie Loodie YouTube video I posted!  I have another one to share with you today, and this is a techniquie I have recently tried myself.  When I started getting into nail polish a few years ago I threw away all my regular nail files in favor of a glass file.  However, I have been struggling with tears on both of my thumb nails for about six months.  So I watched this video, headed to Sally Beauty, and stocked up on different grit nail files.  (Sally's has a bunch of files on sale this month, BTW!)  I am very pleased with the results.  I hope this video helps you as much as it helped me!

Don't forget to subscribe to Loodie's YouTube here and blog here!

OT Post: My weight and snack bars =)

Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows I recently left my job.  I spent two and a half years working it a call center.  During that time I also quit smoking.  Between my job and blogging (and reading blogs!) I spent approximately 12 hours a day on the computer!  And of course when I quit smoking I substituted food for cigarette cravings, so I gained about twenty pounds!

I am ready to get rid of those twenty pounds, and a few (or 10) more.  I know that it really only takes two things - diet and exercise.  Unfortunately, I have the attention span of a gnat.  I can barely remember to eat, let alone exercise! I have been focusing on finding great tasting but health snack bars.  That way I can reach for them when I realize I am hungry, and not chips or candy bars.  Luckily for me, my friend Jen recommended That's It Fruit Bars.  They sounded perfect for me, and I was lucky enough to have some sent to me!

What makes That's It bars different are the ingredients.  Each bar is made with apples and another fruit.  Apples + Cherries, Apples + Apricots, and Apples + Pears.  That's it!  No other ingredients.  So you get two servings of fruit, and they are less than 100 calories!

The consistency of the bars is very interesting, it reminds me of eating raisins when I was little.  My mom would buy them in the little cardboard boxes and I loved when all the raisins stuck together.  That's the exact texture of the That's It bars.  My favorite is Apples + Cherries.  It's absolutely perfect for hot summer days.  I can throw it in my purse and not worry about it melting!

Unlike my Special K bars, that turn into a melty chocolate mess.




Disclosures: polish insomniac at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page.

50% off Sally Clearance, In Sale and Online!

ChG Nova vs OPI Servin' Up Sparkle

OPI Servin' up Sparkle, China Glaze Nova

OPI Servin' up Sparkle, China Glaze Nova

Ring and Index:  China Glaze Nova
Middle and Pinky:  OPI Servin' up Sparkle

Ring and Index:  China Glaze Nova
Middle and Pinky:  OPI Servin' up Sparkle

OPI Servin' up Sparkle, China Glaze Nova

I these are very similar in the bottle, on the nail you can see that the micro glitter in the China Glaze is much more dense.


Do you own either of these?  Which do you like better?

Makeup Monday - Cool Neutrals with Revlon Colorstay

Revlon Colorstay 12 Hour Eyeshadow in Sterling Rose

I am jealous of people that can wear warm-toned neutral eyeshadows.  I feel like the stores are full of them - hello, Urban Decay Naked Palette?  It's even harder to find cool-toned eyeshadows in the drugstore.  Luckily I stumbled upon this Revlon quad at CVS recently (I was trying to use up all of my ExtraBucks before I moved!).

This was my first experience with the Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadows.  From Revlon's website:

Silky smooth, blendable powder shadow with SoftFlex™ won’t crease or smudge, staying flawless and beautiful for up to 12 hours. Color coordinated quads provide expert mix and match ability for your most gorgeous eyes ever. Available in 18 beautiful quads. Opthalmologist tested. Non-irritating. Safe for contact lens wearers and sensitive eyes.

I decided to put the eyeshadows to the test.  I swatched them (over TooFaced Shadow Insurance) on my arm... and the swatches were still intact at the end of the day!  They did  not last that long on my allergy eyes, but that is to be expected.

Can you say TAUPE???

What is your experience with these Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadow Quads?

Do you have any great cool-toned neutral drugstore eyeshadows I should try?

xoxo,

polish insomniac

Coming Soon from FingerPaints!